Occupation Profile

Industries Employing

Locomotive Engineers

(SOC Code : 53-4011)

in California

Drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas-turbine-electric locomotives to transport passengers or freight. Interpret train orders, electronic or manual signals, and railroad rules and regulations.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with Work experience in a related occupation .

Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2023	1st Qtr	$35.66	$29.02	$33.08	$44.57

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Total Job Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2018 - 2028	1,600	1,500	-100	-6.3	1,320

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Data for Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List) not available.

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Railroad and Railway Transportation

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Monitor gauges or meters that measure speed, amperage, battery charge, or air pressure in brakelines or in main reservoirs.

Interpret train orders, signals, or railroad rules and regulations that govern the operation of locomotives.

Observe tracks to detect obstructions.

Receive starting signals from conductors and use controls such as throttles or air brakes to drive electric, diesel-electric, steam, or gas turbine-electric locomotives.

Confer with conductors or traffic control center personnel via radiophones to issue or receive information concerning stops, delays, or oncoming trains.

Operate locomotives to transport freight or passengers between stations or to assemble or disassemble trains within rail yards.

Respond to emergency conditions or breakdowns, following applicable safety procedures and rules.

Check to ensure that brake examination tests are conducted at shunting stations.

Call out train signals to assistants to verify meanings.

Inspect locomotives to verify adequate fuel, sand, water, or other supplies before each run or to check for mechanical problems.

More Tasks for Locomotive Engineers

Top Skills used in this Job

Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.

Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Response Orientation - The ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.

Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.

Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Depth Perception - The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.

Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

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